I home educate my four girls aged between 2 and 7. At the moment, some of their behaviour is really, really getting me down. I am getting very overwhelmed by constant moaning at me about one thing or another - not each one of them moaning all the time, but every one moaning a little bit adds up to an awful lot of moaning!
They're not bad children - they're great, in fact, but there are so many of them! I am fed up of breaking up bickering; and of not being listened to when I ask them to stop doing something they shouldn't do; and not being helped with things when I ask for it.
It is getting me down so, so much and I'm not sure what the answer is. I hate saying 'if you keep doing that we will go home' when someone is being annoying at some group or something, because I think the others will get punished to, but today I did; and I followed through with my thread; and I feel awful. WIBU? Or should I be doing more of this and just keep making sure the children who have been good understand why and that I'm really sorry that they are getting their fun spoiled?
FWIW, the one causing a problem was very contrite afterwards...
AIBU to say to them that if they continue not taking me seriously and not working as a co-operative team then I will have to send them to school? I don't want our relationship to become one where they do bugger all and I spend my life yelling at them!
I don't actually think school would be the answer - I'm sure their behaviour wouldn't improve (I'm making them out to be monsters - they're not, but, like I say, four children all misbehaving a little bit is a lot of work for one woman!) - but I would get a loooonnnggg break from it every day and might feel a bit more amenable to dealing with them when they are around.